


The art of being friends

by Tyrelingkitten



Category: Haikyuu!!
Genre: Fluff, Gen, Haikyuu Summer Holidays Exchange, M/M, One-Shot
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-06-23
Updated: 2015-06-23
Packaged: 2018-04-05 18:30:58
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,827
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4190463
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Tyrelingkitten/pseuds/Tyrelingkitten
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>5 times they sleep together and 1 time one of them miss the bed.<br/>AKA fluffy sleep fic.</p>
            </blockquote>





	The art of being friends

**Author's Note:**

  * For [sunnhy](https://archiveofourown.org/users/sunnhy/gifts).



> I hope you like it, sunnhy~! 
> 
> Also, I used Kuro instead of Kuroo because this is written from Kenma's pov and that's how he calls Kuroo.

** 1\. Age 8 **

 

“You stink.” Kozume murmured, inhaling sharply to make a point as he pressed  across the buttons of his Nintendo console.

 

It’s one of the old school game systems, an ancient thing his dad bought on the flea market during one of his expeditions outside the modern city. The graphics were blocky, the movements of the characters were slow, the paint was already peeling from the game console and the Donkey Kong tune was oddly addicting. Despite all that, Kozume loved playing it all day long, all week long, especially during Sundays when there was no school and he didn’t need to go hang out with a bunch of his classmates.

 

Sundays meant he could laze all day, sleep past 8 and stay in his room forever, playing games.

 

That also meant... Kuro would visit. At 8 in the morning. Entering Kozume’s bedroom with a loud bang of the door.

 

That busybody.

 

Troublesome.

 

It’s why they were lying on their stomach in the middle of the living room, kicking their feet in the air as they compete in leveling their Donkey Kongs while Kozume mama made them waffles and got some lemonade ready.

 

From the corner of his eye, Kuro stuck his tongue out, looking rather serious as Kuro tried to start some impossible game combo by pressing any random buttons with all ten of his fingers.

 

“Ha? What did you say?” Kuro cried out over the game tune and shifted his gaze to Kozume just in time to drop his Donkey Kong into the ravine. He let out an enraged yell and punished the buttons with some amateur guessing until Kozume took pity and leaned over to help him press restart button.

 

“Never mind.” Kozume murmured, stretched himself out on the rug and sighed, waiting for the game screen to reload their competition scene again.

 

“You want to play another round?” Kuro asked, aghast at this and kicked the console away. “I’m tired.” He huffed and turned himself around to lie on his back, staring at the ceiling.  “What’s so great about Donkey Kong? He’s just a monkey.” He muttered and shot Kozume a baleful look. “Can we go out and play now?”

 

“... Not yet. I still have a new level to beat.” Kozume mumbled and changed the console to solo player since Kuro was no longer interested to play.

 

“Okay. I’m hungry. I’m gonna get some food.” Kuro crawled up and ran off to the kitchen without waiting for Kozume’s reaction.

 

A few minutes later he came back with a tray filled with wafels and set them beside Kozume, flopping himself back on the floor and watched Kozume play. Kozume usually didn’t eat while he was busy playing Donkey Kong. Which was why Kuro broke the wafels into bits and fed him one half before taking the other half.

 

All that handfeeding didn’t even register Kozume’s mind at all. His eyes, ears and his whole mind was so focused on keeping his character from falling to his death. He only realized something was off when Kuro’s head listed to Kozume’s shoulder. Surprised, Kozume shrugged him off but that only made Kuro change position, sliding down over Kozume’s back and remained there. A heavy weight on Kozume’s spine.

 

Only Kuro’s soft snores into Kozume’s pajamas told Kozume that his friend was already asleep.

 

A month later, Mama had framed a picture of both Kuro and himself sprawled across the floor, drool dribbling down from the corner of his mouth, fingers holding the game console loosely while Kuro kicked Kozume in his sleep.  

 

* * *

 

**2\. Age 13**

 

It’s to be expect that Kuro easily switched interests. He liked excitement. He liked sports. He liked playing, the sun, the sweating! Or at least that’s what Kuro was telling him. Kuro went through football, then tennis, then baseball and finally settled with volleyball. For whatever reason.

 

Kozume still thought playing wii games was better.

 

Bruises covered Kuro’s arms, wrists, knees and elbows. Kozume lost count how many times he had seen his friend wearing band-aids all over his face or his arms or his legs.

 

Volleyball remained Kuro’s constant activity and was the sole reason why he dragged Kozume along to the park to play. Because they needed to improve, Kuro said, they needed to perfect the foundation of volleyball. Which was to catch it before it hit the ground. And that meant, running up and down the field, diving down to the ground to catch the volleyball and scraping their skin in the process.

 

Kuro might not say it in his face just yet, but the other reason was that volleyball was a teamsport and Kuro was hoping by playing a team sport Kozume would find more friends to play with.  

 

Sundays used to be filled with playing video games and eating mama's treats and later watching Mobile Suit Gundam anime. Now Kuro would drop by, banging his door open and whine out "Kenma, _come on_ ~! Let’s play," while holding a round volleyball underneath his arm. And if Kozume didn’t move an inch from his bed or tear his eyes away from the screen, Kuro would jump him, bodily dragging him out to the closet to help Kozume dress and then haul him along to the local park.

 

Kozume never really found the strength to resist his friend’s insistence to learn volleyball. Deep, deep, deep inside he actually wanted to meet new people too. Make new friends and maybe start a game wars online with them.

 

Once they was done sweating through and scraping several knees and elbows, they would go to Kuro’s house to watch some anime in Kuro’s bed.

 

Kozume’s mama had yelled at them when she found so many dirt and grass in Kozume’s bedding one day so these days they usually would head back to Kuro’s room instead. Tracking dirt and grass everywhere in the room. Kuro’s mama hardly touched Kuro’s room, but she nagged at Kuro to clean up his own mess until he would obediently do just that, while whining loud and clear.

 

On rare occasions, Kuro logged into his computer and make the two of them watch official volleyball matches. At first Kozume wasn’t that interested in just watching a bunch of people chase a ball across court, but after a while his eyes kept tracking the ball, following it as it flew in the air, over the net, back in the air and over the net.

 

The process of getting the ball over to the other court and into the floor resembled something he had seen in his own video games. Like a strategy game. Like a map to the biggest treasure in the world. Before Kozume knew it, he had watched three official games in one sitting. His eyes drooped with tiredness and his sight fogged over. Rubbing the corner of his eyes, Kozume yawned and snuggled himself in Kuro’s bed. He’s just going to rest his eyes for a bit and then watch the rest later... after lunch.

 

He fell asleep as soon as his head hit Kuro’s pillow.

 

It wasn’t until Kuro’s mama shook his shoulder, whispering if he’d like to stay over for dinner that Kozume realize Kuro was also sleeping, his lanky gorilla form across Kozume with an arm loosely around Kozume’s waist.

 

* * *

 

**3\. Age 16**

 

Kozume had silenced the game music as he slid further underneath his comforter. He made sure not to make the screen too bright for fear that it might wake up the rest of his teammates.

 

It was really quiet tonight. Miyagi was a suburbian area. So unlike Tokyo, Miyagi had the privilege to be quiet and restful. No cars honking every few seconds, no occasional train chugging past his roof, no airplanes roaring overhead.

 

Miyagi was quiet.

 

The only sounds he could make out were the tacking his fingers across the plastic buttons of his game and the long hum of the air conditioner. And maybe Yamamoto’s stuffy snore. And Inuoka’s dreamy mumbling.

 

Ever since the coach somehow got them to go along with this practice match against Karasuno High, Kozume had been busy throwing balls to everyone instead of finishing his newest PSP game. He’s been missing so many chances to beat the Big Boss that he resorted to playing his game while practice was done, that included skipping on meals, bathing and sleeping.

 

He felt the tug on his ankle and immediately kicked out in reflex. He didn’t attack any more than just one kick when he felt someone crawl underneath his comforter alongside his outstretched body.

 

“You’re still playing?” Kuro whispered, his voice slow and laced with sleep. He had one arm over Kozume, in a loose half hug as he rested his head against Kozume’s forearm to peer at the game screen with half-lidded eyes. “Tomorrow is a big day, you know?”

 

“I’m almost done. Still one course to go and then I’ll sleep.” Kozume promised.

 

“That’s what you said an hour ago.” Kuro did not hide his indecent yawn as he grumbled and curled his other arm underneath Kozume’s pillow.

 

Kozume bit back a sigh. Kuro was right. Tomorrow he’s going to see Shouyou so they should be up and ready early in the morning. Regretfully, he saved his game and mentally promised himself to get right back to it once practice match was done. Once he shut off his game, he sagged down into his futon and ignored the tingling pain of his elbows.

 

“Go back to your own futon, Kuro.”

 

But Kuro had already stolen his pillow and one half of his comforter, breathing slowly into Kozume’s pillow with one long leg trapping Kozume’s leg.

 

Resignedly, Kozume reached over to Kuro’s futon and stole his stuff instead, bringing the thick comforter up to his nose.

 

* * *

 

**4\. Age 20**

 

“What time is it?”

 

“... Nine. I think.”

 

“Oh. Almost time then.”

 

“You’re not moving at all?”

 

Kuro grumbled into Kozume’s shoulder and held him tighter by the waist. “I don’t want to leave just yet.” His breath tickled Kozume’s neck.

 

“Go. Before you miss your flight.” Kozume mumbled, quickly punching quick combos to defeat the dragon boss.

 

“I want to sleep here forever.” Kuro whined softly, pressing his nose into Kozume’s nape and inhaled slowly.

 

“You can’t.” Kozume paused the game as his congratulatory screen popped out balloons and confettis for clearing a level. He stared at the black screen. Unseeing.

 

“... Are you going to miss me?”

 

Kozume bit back a scoff and sighed. “You’re going to call me as soon as you reach America, anyway. What’s there to miss?”

 

“I’ll try to contact you every other day. Can’t have you skip meals and sleep.”  

 

“I know you will.” Kozume grumbled under his breath and dropped his game beside the bed. He pressed his back into Kuro’s chest and felt his friend relax.

 

When Kuro left for America to pursue volleyball, it’s been the longest time that separated them. And true to his word, Kuro would sent him some reminders to eat, to sleep and play with other friends like Shouyou or Lev. Kozume followed those reminders albeit grudgingly. He’d save his games, run off to eat something, shower quickly and jump back to bed to play the rest of the level. Other times, he would message Shouyou or Lev but those two only think of volleyball matches and would gladly drag him out into local volley court.

 

And when Kageyama joined their friendly games, the way he treated Shouyou reminded Kozume of how removed he was from Kuro’s side. Even though Lev tried his best to cheer Kozume up and keep his mind away from the ever present void, Kuro was no longer beside him.   

 

“I miss you.” He typed a new message for Kuro but never sent the message until a month later. His palms sweating and his stomach somersaulting to the floor.

 

Later on he wished for the message to _come_ back and _not_ be delivered otherwise he might just die of embarrassment.

 

* * *

**5\. Age 27**

 

Kuro came home after several years.

 

His skin was tanned from hours in the sun. His pronunciation got a little strange for speaking too much English all those years but after a day Kuro reverted back to his usual standard Tokyoite speak. Also... he sported a large casing around his left leg.

 

“Torn ligament,” Kuro had laughed offhandedly, “Will be good as new after a few months. Don’t worry.”

 

He wasn’t allowed to play volleyball for a while. Needed rest. Needed a vacation.

 

Yamamoto threw a huge welcome back party at Kozume’s apartment for some reason and invited almost everyone of the old Nekoma team and might have put a word out to the Furokudani and Karasuno team as well.

 

The place was packed, beer bottles strewn everywhere and the smell of cheese had filled Kozume’s tiny kitchen. Yamamoto and Tanaka kept mostly everyone entertained as they brought along a karaoke machine and two microphones and pulled out stacks of UNO cards. Shouyou cheered on everyone even when he wanted to start a heartfelt singing duet with Akaashi and Inuoka.

 

Everyone asked Kuro about his stay in America, his experiences and his teammates and if he found a girlfriend.

 

America was such a faraway subject that Kozume forgot about the girlfriend part. Of course. Kuroo was 27. Of course he would have found someone there. Sugawara gave Kozume a long curious look before blinking his eyes away to follow the rest of the UNO game.

 

Once the party died down and everyone stumbled away back to their own homes, Kuro had grabbed Kozume by the wrist and tugged him into the bedroom.

 

“I broke up with her before I came here.” Kuro said softly, settling himself against Kozume’s pillows and caged Kozume between his legs. Just like old times.

 

Only this time, there was something heavy about the way Kuro’s arms were draped over Kozume’s chest.

 

Kozume hummed. What was he supposed to say?

 

“We fought a lot, you know. About me coming back here.” Kuro explained, resting his chin on Kozume’s shoulder as his arms tightened, urging Kozume to relax. Reluctantly, Kozume relaxed against his friend and listened to his own heartbeat pounding in his ears. “She wanted to follow me. But not to Tokyo. She thought I was going on an European vacation tour.” Kuro paused. “Actually we fought about a lot of trivial things. Like my training days. My gaming days. My free days. Maybe I’m not cut out for this. What should I have done, Kenma? Maybe I should’ve brought her along anyway and let her see Tokyo and shop in Shinjuku.”

 

“... I don’t know.”

 

After so many years, why did their conversation have to be this stilted and awkward? Out of all the topics Kuro could talk about why about his girlfriend? With Kozume anyway? It’s not like Kozume had any experience to glean his wisdom from.

 

Kozume closed his eyes. “Are you going to stay over or should I bring you back to your parents’?”

 

“Why are you changing the subject?” Kuro grumbled. “I’m pouring my heart out here and you talk about something else.”

 

“... I just don’t know what to say to you.” Kozume admitted. Something niggled in the back of his throat, something dangerous and unassuming.

 

Kuro sighed and finally said,“Tell me about your school. Your work. Tell me about your co-workers.”

 

\---

 

It’s only when Kuro should head back to America that Kozume finally realized what’s this thing between them was. It had been laying dormant for so long Kozume had thought they were just friends.

 

* * *

 

 

**6\. Age ?**

 

The lights flashed too brightly. The unexpected brightness stung Kozume’s eyes and tears welled up on cue. Kozume pinched his nose as he took off his glasses and inhaled slowly. The graphics were getting more and more advanced these days. The colors more and more brighter. The quality of the characters and the scenes were getting more and more realistic. All that amazingness of improved technology was costing his eyes.  

 

Now he needed glasses to play these games so he couldn’t play games hours after hours as he used to.

 

Resignedly, Kozume saved his data and pulled up the document to file the basic grading opinion of the game. The storyline was okay. The characterization needed some work. The difficulty level needed some upgrades. He sent it off to all the department heads and pushed back his chair to get a quick shower.

 

He moved silently into his bedroom and slipped under the cover, careful not to wake the large lump hiding underneath the comforter.

 

“You’re up late again.” Kuro mumbled from his pillow.

 

“Sorry. Was beta-testing. Go back to sleep” Kozume whispered and crawled closer to press his lips into Kuro’s an apologetic kiss before wrapping his arms around Kuro, spooning him from behind.

 

Kuro’s long fingers twined with his own and he shifted his pillow before finally settled with being the little spoon.

 

**\-- The end --**

**Author's Note:**

> Wrote this with a half-awake brain and tired eyes. Hopefully it's close to your prompt! :D
> 
> Thank you for reading!


End file.
